First team players Clayton Donaldson, Paul Caddis, Adam Legzdins and Shane Lowry handed out gifts and presented a £1,000 cheque towards the Rainbow Trust, a charity which raises money for the hospital's children's department.

The Blues players spent a couple of hours meeting and chatting to young supporters like 12-year-old William, from Sheldon, who is a lifelong Bluenose and who didn't even try to conceal his delight.

"I've never met any of the Blues players before and when I saw them come in I wasn't sure I'd get the opportunity.